Dems, GOP launch on-air ad spree for Senate seat

  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Indiana has quickly become a major battleground in the race for control of the U.S. Senate, with national Republicans and Democrats forking over more cash this week to tea party favorite Richard Mourdock and Democrat Joe Donnelly.

Republicans, who must gain four seats to take control of the Senate, extended a run of ads for Mourdock this week. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, meanwhile, is spending $439,000 in coming days on Donnelly's behalf.

A Democratic source who tracks ad spending confirmed the new buys on background because campaigns will not openly talk about how much they are spending. The Mourdock campaign has spent another $300,000 on Indiana's airwaves, bringing the total spent so far to more than $8 million.

Polls have shown Mourdock and Donnelly statistically tied since the general election began in May, after Mourdock defeated longtime U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar.

While Democratic groups went on the air early in Indiana, Republicans have only recently made it to the state's airwaves as they look to defend what would have been a safe seat had Lugar won the primary.

Mourdock and Donnelly have recently used car analogies to trade jabs. Mourdock's latest spot features a car veering to the left, off the road, and plowing through mud.

"Donnelly follows Obama and Pelosi, going the wrong way," the narrator says.

The Donnelly camp spent $223,000 on a similar spot which began airing last week. In it, Donnelly stands in the middle of a two-lane country road while an actor portraying Mourdock drives up and yells "Hey, Donnelly! It's my way or the highway!"

In both cases, the campaigns stick by their strategies of trying to paint their opponent as too extreme. Democrats have pushed that angle longer, but Mourdock's campaign recently settled on a fairly consistent message.

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Story Continues Below

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news. ONLY $1/week Subscribe Now

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Get the best of Indiana business news.

Limited-time introductory offer for new subscribers

ONLY $1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In